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Record Details

Photograph (Experimental Photogenic Drawing), by Sir John Herschel, August 3, 1839

Inventory Number: 89840
Object Type:
Persons: Sir John Frederick William Herschel (Photographer)
Date Created: 1839
Accession Number: 1928-71
Brief Description: Experimental photogenic drawing by Sir John Herschel, August 3, 1839, made as a fixing experiment, part of a series trying different procedures with water or hypo and water.

Subject: engraving 28374, lady with guitar
Technique: contact copy
Format: vertical
Polarity: negative
Orientation: laterally reversed
Quality: xxx
Colour: reddish brown but mostly grey-green discoloration, dark brown border, back also discoloured
Chemistry: silver based, hypo fixed
Coating: none
Inscription: number, date, chemical note
Paper: thin
Condition: good
Purpose: a fixing experiment using hypo and water.

For fuller descriptive and historical commentary see narratives.
Primary Inscriptions: '544 544. Aug 3/39 Pp W. then HS Sod Strong' [pump water, hyposulphite of soda; in Herschel's hand].
Provenance: Presented by Miss Herschel and Lady Lubbock in 1928. They were the two surviving and youngest children of Sir John Herschel (Francisca and Constance).
Collection Group: Herschel's Photographic Experiments
Material(s): Paper
Dimensions:
Height Width Depth Diameter Unit
123 99 mm

Narratives

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